Ensuring proper health, nutrition, and hydration is an emphasis in the promotion of animal health and well being. Animals, such as canines and swine, are susceptible to becoming malnourished, nutrient deficient, or dehydrated. Additionally, some animals treated with veterinary medicine are reluctant to ingest veterinary medicines, veterinary agents, veterinary pharmaceutical agents, or other supplements.
Dehydration in animals, such as dogs and swine, is a serious problem. Sweating in dogs is more difficult than humans because the sweat glands in dogs are located on the nose and on the footpads. Additionally, swine (and especially piglets) are susceptible to certain diseases, such as Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus; PED virus can cause chronic diarrhea, which results in serious dehydration and often widespread death in swine herds.
For dogs, dehydration may be exacerbated by participating in strenuous and physical activities in the presence of excessive heat. Dehydration may be further exacerbated by the problem that a dehydrated dog can over-exert itself to the point of death when the dog is excited about an activity in which the dog is participating in. For example, every year numerous hunting canines perish because the canines become dehydrated and over-exerted on hunting trips.
There are many symptoms of dehydration in dogs due to increased strenuous activity. One of the major symptoms of dog dehydration is loss of skin elasticity. A major sign of loss of skin elasticity is the skin on the back of the dog folds over and does not return to normal shape after tension is applied. Symptoms of dehydration include lethargy, sunken eyes, loss of appetite, and slow capillary time. Another symptom may include that the color does not return to the gingiva of a dog, after pressure is applied. Another symptom is dry mouth, which makes it more difficult for a dog to eat.
The most common form of dehydration in dogs is an isotonic dehydration, which is the loss of both water and electrolytes.
To prevent dehydration in canines, canines should be encouraged to drink frequently before, during, and after strenuous activity.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a composition, mixture, or powder which provides a solution to the above-referenced problems.